Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 13, 2022

By definition, most entrepreneurs are thought leaders. That’s why venture capital investors often replace startup CEOs as a condition of their scale-up investment. That’s why so many startups plateau after gaining some initial traction, and are run over or acquired by their competition. It all comes from within themselves.

Startup 147

Startup Competition Entrepreneur Training 147

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2022

Lots of people are trying to help, with new twists on the age-old model of free-market capitalism that has driven businesses for the last 500 years. Many young entrepreneurs seem to think that capitalism and making profit are dirty words. Making a profit does not imply greed. The whole can be greater than the sum of the parts.

Startup 110

Startup Entrepreneur Capital Examples 110

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 6, 2022

Many entrepreneurs I know are confused by the definition and need for an Advisory Board versus a Board of Directors. By definition, Advisory Boards are voluntary and have no fiduciary responsibility. It’s a resource that you can’t afford to ignore if you intend to stay competitive today. Marty Zwilling.

Allegis 139

Allegis Startup Acquisition Entrepreneur 139

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 16, 2014

But if you level up , raise capital and grow customers, revenue and staff – life changes. This is when your job function truly starts to match the definition of “leader” because that’s exactly what your role is. Extremely talented people are ultra competitive. You just assign out tasks to all of us.

Entrepreneur 385

Entrepreneur CTO Hire Startup Sales 385

Berkonomics

MARCH 5, 2020

And fifth: Competitive risk. . Here we expand the definitions a bit to encompass businesses that are still early stage, but perhaps beyond startup. You may recognize these five as a slight variation on the “Berkus Method” which is often published and used by investors when valuing pre-revenue businesses.

Outsource Development 156

Outsource Development Ideas Resource Patents 156

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

As an advisor to many entrepreneurs, I still hear frequently the irrational exuberance that crowdfunding is the quick alternative for startups that are passed over by overly demanding angels or venture capital investors. In reality, crowdfunding has become a major startup funding vehicle, expected to reach $3.62

Startup 100

Startup Equity Entrepreneur Demand 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2022

Hopefully you can see from this list that the people and processes involved in financing a nonprofit have little in common with angel investors, or the venture capital process. You still start the process with a business plan, but then you look for a philanthropist rather than an investor.

Funding 130

Funding Equity Technical Review Organization 130

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2022

Finally I realized that venture capital and angel investors are actually humans, despite some views to the contrary. From an investor perspective, understanding and acting early to establish a sustainable competitive advantage, and barrier to entry, is the best assurance of a financial return.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 111

TechCrunch LA

JUNE 3, 2022

billion company in the brutally competitive beauty industry, especially one with such broad appeal. billion valuation to open up permanent retail stores in Seattle, Los Angeles and London, capitalizing on the dewy fairytale of its Manhattan flagship store. There definitely have been, but the room to recover is completely limited.”.

Startup 280

Startup Netflix Los Angeles Innocal 280

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 23, 2014

There has been much discussion in the past few years of the changing structure of the venture capital industry. The rise of alternative sources of capital (crowd funding and the like). 15 years ago we were at the peak of Internet hype with the launch of many over-capitalized businesses with a market size & opportunity was limited.

Venture Capital 398

Venture Capital Technical Review Startup Seed Funding 398

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 3, 2023

I believe their competitive advantage is their top on-site leadership, exclusivity, and connections to investors. This association is definitely one of the world’s leading organization for advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship.

Organization 92

Organization Incubator Startup Resource 92

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2021

A good place to start is the classic "The Effective Executive - The Definitive Guide to Getting the Right Things Done" , by Peter Drucker. It's important that the CEO define alternatives and have a very clear view on how he will use the proceeds, including the option of not raising any outside capital at all.

Startup 163

Startup eHarmony Networking Guide 163

Berkonomics

AUGUST 23, 2012

By definition, your core is your intellectual property foundation, the thing that makes your business most valuable to customers, investors and perhaps someday to potential buyers. There is much to reinforce in such behavior.

Patents 159

Patents Training Resource Advertising 159

Berkonomics

FEBRUARY 25, 2016

Few of your contacts will be willing to use their valuable social or political capital helping you with a sales effort, and you will definitely strain your relationship with the intermediary if not a close friend. Dropping that name will often immediately draw a response if the decision maker is curious or particularly competitive.

Ideas 120

Ideas Sales Competition Venture Capital 120

TechCrunch LA

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Capitalism is fundamentally about timing, since market competition is about finding opportunities before others. Between TechCrunch today and my former roles in venture capital, I’ve had the opportunity to practice timing a lot. It’s the only way forward in capitalism, and it’s worth every investment you can make.

Venture Capital 202

Venture Capital Startup Technical Review Invest 202

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2020

As an advisor to many entrepreneurs, I still hear frequently the irrational exuberance that crowdfunding is the quick alternative for startups that are passed over by overly demanding angels or venture capital investors. Thus crowdfunding is clearly not the panacea for funding and success that many entrepreneurs envision.

Startup 151

Startup Equity Funding Demand 151

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2020

I believe their competitive advantage is their top on-site leadership, exclusivity, and connections to investors. This association is definitely one of the world’s leading organization for advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship.

Resource 159

Resource Startup Incubator Seed Funding 159

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 28, 2019

Lots of people are trying to help, with new twists on the age-old model of free-market capitalism that has driven businesses for the last 500 years. Many young entrepreneurs seem to think that capitalism and making profit are dirty words. Making a profit does not imply greed. The whole can be greater than the sum of the parts.

Startup 93

Startup Entrepreneur Capital Examples 93

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2020

Finally I realized that venture capital and angel investors are actually humans, despite some views to the contrary. From an investor perspective, understanding and acting early to establish a sustainable competitive advantage, and barrier to entry, is the best assurance of a financial return.

Entrepreneur 126

Entrepreneur Social Media Patents Mentor 126

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2022

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, one of the definitions of an “ evangelist ” is someone who talks about something with great enthusiasm. Capitalize on the unique talents of every individual. All great business organization are internally competitive, and thrive on recognition.

Resource 114

Resource Coach Startup Training 114

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2019

By definition, most entrepreneurs are thought leaders. That’s why venture capital investors often replace startup CEOs as a condition of their scale-up investment. That’s why so many startups plateau after gaining some initial traction, and are run over or acquired by their competition. It all comes from within themselves.

Startup 86

Startup Competition Entrepreneur Training 86

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 2, 2022

I’ve never had a definitive list of recommendations to overcome these qualms, so I was pleased to see the insights in a new book, “ Arrive and Thrive ,” by Susan MacKenty Brady, Janet Foutty, and Lynn Perry Wooten. Embrace the real you as your competitive advantage. This is a tough challenge for every coach and mentor.

Entrepreneur 90

Entrepreneur Satisfaction Coach Mentor 90

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 5, 2011

while acknowledging that San Fran deals are often higher valuations due to increased competition amongst investors. Prices have definitely gone up in 2011 as depicted in the anecdotal chart below. As ever, prices still determined by: quality of team, quality of product / market and competitiveness of the deal.

Startup 336

Startup Pricing Technical Review Marketing 336

Both Sides of the Table

JUNE 4, 2013

I guess this is the ultimate definition of implementing a business model when you’re not clear on strategy! I see many companies these days just race to raise capital. They see capital raising at the success validator. If it’s the former your company will definitely start to top out at some point.

Startup 401

Startup Customer Custom Technical Review 401

socalTECH

OCTOBER 23, 2012

One of the biggest complaints that local entrepreneurs have with Los Angeles has been a dearth of local sources of venture capital. However, the recent surge in startup activity has attracted a lot more capital into the area, including a significant amount of capital from LA's latest fund: Karlin Ventures (www.karlinvc.com).

Funding 253

Funding Startup Invest Commerce 253

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 6, 2018

It definitely has a “d” in it, as in it’s really not fun, raising. Fund raising. But it’s critical for your business, for you as a leader and people who excel at fund raising have an extreme advantage over those who do not. The best entrepreneurs in our industry focus on it year-round as opposed to just once every 18 months.

Funding 236

Funding Venture Capital Startup Entrepreneur 236

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 27, 2019

In today’s world of growing competition and customer evolution , holding your own, and growing to the next level is a constant challenge that can never be ignored. Balance the act of competition with the art of collaboration. The reality could not be further from the truth. It’s time for new strategies for growth and survival.

Ideas 77

Ideas Customer Custom Competition 77

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 8, 2019

Image via Flickr by MDGovpics Many entrepreneurs I know are confused by definition and need for an Advisory Board versus a Board of Directors. By definition, Advisory Boards are voluntary and have no fiduciary responsibility. It’s a resource that you can’t afford to ignore if you intend to stay competitive today.

Startup 98

Startup Allegis Entrepreneur Acquisition 98

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 31, 2012

I got an email recently from my friend & fellow VC, Jeff Bussgang from Flybridge Capital Partners in Boston. Her post is short & well written so definitely worth a read if you’re a startup person and want to hear some sensible views on sales. And that leads me to today’s post.

Startup 319

Startup Sales Course Competition 319

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 8, 2019

Hopefully you can see from this list that the people and processes involved in financing a nonprofit have little in common with angel investors, or the venture capital process. You still start the process with a business plan, but then you look for a philanthropist rather than an investor.

Equity 94

Equity Startup Technical Review Organization 94

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 27, 2017

Focus simply means launching your first and most memorable initiative where you see a unique skill and experience fit, your best competitive positioning with the least risk, and the greatest potential return. Realistically characterize the competition. Claiming you have no competition also implies lack of focus on competition.

Entrepreneur 63

Entrepreneur Competition Customer Custom 63

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 14, 2019

in a funding led by Orange County's Okapi Venture Capitalis looking to help direct to consumer brands use better data to direct their marketing and other efforts. We found, in a year and a half developing the product in early alpha, that we were definitely ahead of anybody else in the industry. Do we want to raise capital?

Startup 113

Startup Platform Commerce San Diego 113

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 31, 2021

Finally for startups there’s a $31 billion available for programs that give small businesses access to credit, venture capital, and R&D dollars. The sad fact is that water infrastructure in America has largely failed to keep up in large swaths of the country, necessitating this kind of massive capital infusion.

Startup 229

Startup Technical Review Invest Research 229

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2013

Of course, we would all like to have a magic list based on more definitive tracking of many real startups over time. Do your homework on minimal capital requirements. Running out of capital in midstream is a brick wall that can derail even the best plans. Your initial business identity can make or break your startup.

Startup 102

Startup Study Journal Sample 102

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2014

Lots of people are trying to help, with new twists on the age-old model of free-market capitalism that has driven businesses for the last 500 years. Many young entrepreneurs seem to think that capitalism and making profit are dirty words. Conscious Capitalism, for example, claims 3.2 Making a profit does not imply greed.

Startup 104

Startup Entrepreneur Examples Satisfaction 104

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 14, 2011

Investors are very focused on diligence, on business models that make sense, and those companies that have a definite competitive advantage and defensibility to what they're doing. What is not happening, is those marginal deals that would have gotten funded a number of years ago, when things were better, are not making it.

Tech Coast Angels 231

Tech Coast Angels Technical Review Angel Southern California 231

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 12, 2017

By definition, most entrepreneurs are thought leaders. That’s why venture capital investors often replace startup CEOs as a condition of their scale-up investment. That’s why so many startups plateau after gaining some initial traction, and are run over or acquired by their competition. It all comes from within themselves.

Startup 68

Startup Competition Entrepreneur Training 68